Grinnell Rainbow Alumni
The mission of the Rainbow Alumni is to support purposeful, lifelong relationships among Grinnell’s LGBTQIA+ Alumni (and supporters), and between the LGBTQIA+ Alumni and College communities.
- We’re planning fun and engaging programs and events, including drag shows and receptions at reunions, get-togethers at regional picnics and gatherings at Pride events. And if you can’t make an event in person, we will be hosting virtual events as well.
- We’re sharing and preserving stories—some joyful, some full of hardship—from across the broad spectrum of queer alumni, including working with the Multicultural Archives Project. Ever wonder what campus was like for LGBTQIA+ students before Stonewall, or how GCGC got started? What was life like at the dawn of the AIDS epidemic? What did it mean to be trans in the 2000s? How did QPOC get started, and what did it mean to black and gay back in the day?
- We’re building our online community through a newsletter, emails, and on Discord, a social media platform, to discuss, plan, and develop new ideas. Our quarterly newsletter, Rainbow Connections, features upcoming events, fundraising results, information from campus, and profiles of alumni from throughout the decades.
- We’re connecting current LGBTQIA+ students with internships and externships, and providing networking and mentorship opportunities for students and alumni through MentorGrinnell.
- We’re supporting the current SRC Fund, and endowing two new funds: the Rainbow Alumni Internship Fund and the Rainbow Alumni Scholarship Fund.
Each of these in their own way will build a legacy of support for future generations of students. and having some fun along the way!
Steering Committee members:
- Co-Chairs: Rick Rose ’88 (rick.rose@yahoo.com) and Phoebe Lostroh ’94 (Plostroh@gmail.com)
- Programming Coordinator: Carly Jerome ’11 (carlyjerome@gmail.com)
- Event Coordinator: Javon Garcia ’14
- Storytelling & Networking Coordinator: Lucia Cheng ’23
- Fundraising Coordinator: CW Hobbs ’75 & Randell Christopher ’87
- We’re looking for a Communications & Outreach Coordinator: sign-up today
- We’re looking for a Communications Coordinator: sign-up today
Interested in joining a committee? Complete the survey.
What is an affinity group?
Affinity groups create space for Grinnellians of shared identities to connect on meaningful levels beyond the traditional class and regional structure. The Grinnell Rainbow Alumni Affinity Group will increase opportunities for you to get involved and meet other LGBTQIA+ Grinnellians, foster a sense of community, build a medium through which you can network and share information and resources, engage in relevant, targeted fundraising activities, and create a sense of community and shared values.
The Grinnell Rainbow Alumni Affinity Group will create spaces where you can share your stories with each other and students, and add to the collective narrative of the College.
The Grinnell Rainbow Alumni Affinity Group will not only create another avenue for you to engage with each other and the College but, through your participation, will strengthen the College’s mission by fostering bonds between yourself and the campus.